Labeling-machine.



M. M. MUELLER.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 3, 1914.

1,121,390, Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

3 BBBBTS-SHEET 1.

v QMW 6 lila/x lf/L/l'luellef,

W E WI.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOw-LITHQ, WASHINGIDN, D, .l

M. M. MUELLER.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 3, 1914.

1,121,390. Patented Dec. 15,1914.

3 BHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS 50.. PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON. D. C,

M. M. MUELLER.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AP1L3, 1914.

1,121,390. Patented Dec. 15,1m

3 8HEBTS-SHBET 3.

Gm Max 4 fl/uellr.

M W i I YHE NORRIS PETERS C0 PHOTOYLITHOH WASHING rON, D. C.

M. MUELLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LABELING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, MAX MJMIEEIJLER, a citizen of the United States, reslding at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Labeling-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for applying labels to bottles, cans or other cylindrical containers, and its object is to provide a simple and highly efficient machine of this kind, which is rapid in operation, and

which requires no attention except to sup-q ply the bottles or other containers to, the feeding device.

The invention alsohas for its object to provide a novel and improved label magazine having means for I claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is an end view thereof; Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 33 of'Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a vertical section of one of the label magazines; Fig. is a plan view of said-magazine, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged elevation of the other label magazine.

Referring specifically to the drawings 9 denotes a hollow column of suitable height supported on legs 10 rising from a base 11. This structure forms the supporting frame of the working parts of the machine. The column 9 is angular in cross-section and on one of its faces is rigidly mounted a plate 12 having an undercut vertical slideway in which is mounted a plate 13 carrying supports for the mechanism to be presently described. The plate 13 isvertically adjustableby a hand screw 14. The top of the Application filed April '3, 1914. Serial in. 829,253.

holding taut the, labels as they are applied. 20

. Specification of Letters Patent, Patented D 15, 1914,

plate-13 has a horizontal outward extension 15 forming a table across which the bottles to be labeled are fed. By'operating the hand screw, the table can be raised or lowered. One end of the table has an upward curve, as indicated at 16, to allow the bottles rolling along the table to follow each other closely. Located a suitable distance above the top of the table are two endless bottle feeding belts 17 arranged side by side in spaced relation, and passing over pulleys 18 mounted on shafts 19 supported in suitable bearings carried by the column. The belts run inthe direction of the length of the table and they carry the bottles from the end 16 to the opposite end of thetable. One of the shafts 19 has a drive pulley 20 which is belted to any suitable source of power. Mounted on top of and extending lengthwise of the table are two rubber strips 21 serving as cushions along which the bottles roll. These cushions take up slight irregularities in the shape of the bottles.

In the table 15, near the entrance end'16 thereof, are two transverse slots 22 and 23,

a trough 26, as indicated at27. The other ends of the arms areweighted, as indicated at 28, whereby: the roller-is normally held up in the slot of the table.

I In each trough 26 is mounted a roller 29, the shaft of which is vertically slidable in slots 30 in the end walls of the trough. The

"to the rollers 24, the latter, in turn, app

ing the adhesive to the sides of the bottles.

shaft ends are supported by springs 31 in the slots, whereby'the roller is pressed upward into contact with the roller 24 above the same. The troughs are designed to hold a supply of liquid adhesive which is taken up by the rollers 29 and applied by the same The troughs 26 are mounted on arms 32 connected at their inner ends and terminating thereat in a downturned. portion 33 which is :adjustably held by a. set screw or other suitable clamping means 34, in a lug 35 extending outward from the plate 13.

The arms 32 extend transversely of the table, in view of which the troughs can be adjusted laterally of the table, and as the part 33 is vertically adjustable, thetroughs can also be vertically adjusted.

A lug 36 on the plate 13 carries a bracket arm 37 having a seat at its outer end to hold a vertical tube 38 which is angular in cross-section.

holds a supply of labels to be applied to the bottles. In the bottom of-the magazine, in

" line with the tube, is an opening through which extends a rod ll, which latter is slidable in the tube and carries at its upper end a plunger a2 whichworks in the magazine. The labels are supported in a pileon top of the plunger and are fed-to the mouth of the magazine by the upward movement of the plunger. The plunger is carried upward by a weight 43 attached to one end of a line 44, the other endof which is connected to the stem ll, the tubehaving a slot 45 through which the latter connection" passes. Intermediate its ends the line is trained over a pulley 46 which changes the direction thereof. The magazine is open at v the top, and the latter is flush with the top ofthe table 15 and seats in an opening there- 1 in. At'thetop of the magazine are. three short fingers 47 which engage the uppermost one of the label's,in the magazine, for a purpose to be presently described.

The mechanism thus far described, aflixes labels to the sides of the bottles, and its operation may be summarized as follows:

The bottles are fed to the end 16 of the'table 15 and upon-rolling downthe incline, they are propelled forward by a rolling motion toward the opposite end of the table the belts 17. The rollers 29 are givena-slow rotary motion through a drive pulley 48 whereby the adhesive in the troughs 26 is fed to the applying rollers 24 by the rollers 29. As the bottles roll across the rollers'Q a coating of adhesive is applied, and the rollers being spaced, it willbe seen that the "coating is applied to two places on'each bottle. The rollers work between the strips 21, and the latter hold the bottles out of contact with the tableso that the adhesive applied by the rollers may not be rubbed off. When the bottle passes the open top or mouth of the magazine 40, the same'being filled with labels, urged upward by the plunger 42, the coated parts pick up the top label, and as the bottle continues to roll for ward the label wraps around the bottle.

The magazine is so spaced from: the adhesive applying rollers 24 that the glue marks register with the label as the bottle comes above the magazine. The fingers 47 are very small and serve as retainers for" the label,

the forward finger being set slightly lower The tube is secured in' the seat by a set screw 39. On the upper endof the tube is mounted a magazine 40 which to difierent shaped bottle-necks. Except, as noted,"the'ymagazme than the two side onesso as to more tightly hold the label. This forward finger tends to hold the label taut while it is wrapping around thebottle, the side fingers however readily releasing the corresponding edges of thelabel. The belts 17 also serve to press the label on the bottle. The glue marks are spaced a trifle less than the widthof the label in order that the glue maynot spread out from beneaththe label when pressure is brought to bear onthe latterlby the belts 17.

One side of the-magazine 40 is hinged at the bottom, as indicated at 4:9, to permit the ready insertion of the label's. Ontop of the table 15 is also mounted a guard rail 50 against which the base of the bottles abut;

A mechanism for applying labels to the bottle-necks is also provided, which mechanism will now be described: An adhesive applying belt 51 passes over pulleys 52'- mounted loosely on shafts 53 which are 15 in order that the belt may accommodate itself to any unevenness of the bottle-necks or different shapes. The adhesive-is applied to the outer'surface of the belt by a roller 55 in contact therewith, saidroller being mounted in a supply-trough 56, carried by hinged at 5,4 to the outeredge of the table I one of the arms 82' alongside one of the troughs 26.. As thelabels completely-en circle the bottle-necks, theadhesive applied 'by the belt 51 extends entirely around the necks. The label magazine 57 f is-hinged at fig-to an arm 59 which'latterpin turn,-is. hinged to the table 15, as indicated-at 6,0.

The arm has" an upstanding lug 6l carrying a setv screw 62 which is opposite the edge of the table and serves to limit the upward swing of the ,arm. JThe outer end of the arm to which the magazine is hinged has a down turned portion 63 carrying a'set screw 64: which is adapted to engage the? side of the magazine. From the table extends an arm 65 to which is anchoredthe, upper endof a ne-5'Z as herein- By means of the screw 14 the table 15 may be raised or lowered with respect to the feed ferent sized bottles.

I claim:

I belt 17, toaccommodatethe machine to dif- 1. In a label applying machine, an endless adhesive applying belt, pulleys over-which the belt travels, hinged shafts supporting the pulleys, a label magazine to the rear of the belt, and means for feeding the objects 2. In a label-applying machine, a label magazine Which is hinged to adapt itself to different shaped objects to be labeled, and

means for feeding such objects across the mouth of the magazine.

3. In a label-applying machine, a label magazine, a support,'a pivoted arm carried by the support, a label magazine hinged to the outer end of the arm, said end of the arm being downturned, a set screw carried by said downturned end of the arm and engageableWith the side of the magazine, an upstanding lug on the arm, a set screw car ried by the lug and engageable with the support, and a resilient connection between the support and the magazine.

4. In a label-applying machine, a support, a feed-table carried by the support and having openings, an arm carried by the support and extending transversely beneath the table, an adhesive container adjustably mounted on the arm, an adhesive-applying roller mounted in one of the table openings, a feedroller in the'container and in contact With the applying roller, and a label magazine mounted in another table opening to the rear of the adhesive applying roller.

5. In a label-applying machine, a support, a feed-table carried by the support and having openings, a vertically adjustable arm carried by the supportand extending transversely beneath the, table, an adhesive container adjustably mounted on the arm, an adhesive-applying roller mounted in one of the, table openings, a feed-roller in the container and in contact With the applying roller, and a label magazine mounted in another table opening to the rear of the adhesive applying roller.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

MAX M. MUELLER. Witnesses:

S. J. LEHRER, H. G. BATGHELOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

